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Today State Representative Travis Tranel sent a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture Secretary, Sonny Purdue, on behalf of grade school students in his district requesting federal regulations be changed to allow all types of pasteurized milk (nonfat, 1%, 2%, and whole milk) to be served in schools participating in the Special Milk Program.

“Recently it was brought to my attention that some students in our local schools are choosing not to drink milk because they don’t like the taste of the nonfat only option. If kids don’t think milk tastes good they are not going to drink it in school or as adults,” said Tranel. “My hope is that the federal government will realize the importance of helping our students and supporting Wisconsin’s dairy farmers by expanding the choices within the Special Milk Program to include all types of milk options.”

The Special Milk Program provides milk to students in schools, child care facilities and eligible camps that don’t participate in other federal student nutritional programs. Pasteurized milk meeting state and local standards must be served.